Evaporator element



March 18, 1930. G. w. GAIL EVAPORATOR ELEMENT Filed March 25, 1928 March18, 1930.

G. w. GAIL 1,751,317

EVAPORATOR ELEMENT Filed March 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fatented Mar.18, 1930 naar;

GEORGE W. GAL, F R'UXTON, MARYLAND, .ASSGNOR TO KULAR CORPORATION', 0FPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OIF DELAWARE EVAPORATORELEMENT p Application led March 23, 1928. Serial No. 264,243.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the evaporatorelements for refrigerating machines, with particular reference tomachines of the household or domestic type, although not specificallylimited thereto.

'I he apparatus as covered by the present invention is the same generaltype of evaporator or heat exchange unit as disclosed in the oo pendingapplication of George l/V. Gail and.

lo Abraham J. Kusel, filed January 13, 1927,

Serial No. 160,960, but since the ling of that application there havebeen made certain 1mprovements and refinements which tend to improveappearance and rigidity, and simplify construction, with resultingdecrease in manufacturing cost. These improvements relate chiefly to themanner of connecting up or assembling the individual units and themanner in which the assembled evaporator is 0 mounted in therefrigerator.

The construction herein disclosed is the result of continualexperimental work and practical demonstrations, and represents thelatest form of apparatus, the object of the invention being to produce adevice of this character involving the use of a series of superimposedplate like heat exchange units with means for rigidly connecting theseunits together in an easily assembled manner and at the same timeproviding a structure capable of being handled, transported and mountedin operative position without in any way distorting the apparatus orinterfering with or destroying the iiuid tight connections.

This is accomplished by securing the four corners of each ofthesuperimposed plate like units by a tie bolt arrangement, said unitsbeing held in spaced relation by tubular members or sleeves carried bythe bolts between each unit and the whole clamped together by nuts orthe like as clearly shown in the drawings. In this construction, asdistinguished from the prior apparatus as covered in the copendingapplication above referred to, the assembly of the individual shelflikeunits to form the complete heat exchange unit is greatly facilitated,'because the spacing tubes are cut to proper length, thus giving thedesired space relation of the various she1ves. The insertion of thesespacing tubes and tie rods, and the tightening of the bolts being allthat is necessary for positioning the various shelves. This spacing ispredetermined to match the connecting tubes previously formed intoU-shape, and thus the structure provides a quick method of connectingtube assembly, acting as a jig, and the U-tubes may then be permanentlyconnected by a method such as brazing, welding, or soldering. r

Aside from providing a simple and rigid means of connecting orassembling these individual plate like heat exchange units these boltsor threaded rods form a very satisfactory and efficient means forsupporting the assembled element from the topv of the refrigeratorcompartment, in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective theassembled apparatus;

Fig.` 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3, halfway between lowermost shelf unit and unit next above it;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing themanner of mounting the evaporator element in the refrigeratorcompartment;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the preferred manner ofsecuring the evaporator element in position; and

Figs. 5 and 6 show modifications of other l means of mounting orsecuring the evaporator in operative position.

Referring to the drawings in detailthe improved apparatus comprises aseries of superimposed heaty exchangeunits 1 so mounted one above theother in spaced relation.

Referring specifically to Fig. 3 these heat l exchange units 1 eachcomprise a flat upper plate or sheet 2 and a lower corrugated plate 3,said plates being held together lby a process of seam and spot weldingto form a continuous serpentine passageway 4 'as v illustrated in dottedlines in Fig. 2.' The pas-l sageways of the respective units 1 areconnected by curved pipe sections 5,'the top unit being provided with anelongated pipe sec- Likewise the bottom unit 1 of the 'assembledevaporator element is providedwith a coupling 8 by which said evaporatorelement 1s connected to the intake of the usual compressor (not shown)in a. manner well known in the art.

In this type of evaporator element, as previously described in the abovereferred to copending application, these superimposed units 1 weresecured together by sheet metal angle brackets or the like eithersoldered, brazed or welded to' said units. It has developed, however,that this means of assembling the units was not'sufiiciently rigid tomeet the requirements of 'apparatus of this type and in order toovercome these defects and as disclosed in the present applicationthecorners ot these units are provided with apertured projections orextensions 9 for'receiving bol-ts or rods 10, a separate rod beingprovided at each of the four corners of the respective units. In orderto properly space said units 1, as the same are being assembled `on therods 10, a tube or sleeve section 11 is interposed between therespective heat .exchange units 1 in an obvious manner. The lower end ofeach bolt or rod 10 is provided with a nut or head 12 and after the`necessary number of units are assembled according to the capacity of theevaporator required said units 1 are clamped in position by nuts or thelike 13. It is to be noted that the bolts or tie rods 10 are extendedabove the top heat exchange unit 1 for the purpose of provid- 4ing ameans of supporting or suspending the assembled element within the boxor refrigerator compartment. This is accomplished by securing to theupper ends of the tie rods or bolts 10, oppositely disposedsheet metalplates or straps 14, the ends of these respective plates 14 beingsecured in position-by clamp nuts or the like 15 and 16. Each end of thesheet metal plates 14 is provided with an aperturel? :tor receiving astud bolt or similar fastening 18 (see Fig. 4) which bolt is threadedinto a nut or the like 19 rigidly i secured in the top oftherefrigerator compartment 20 in any approved manner and after beingproperly adjusted as to height the bolt 18,is clamped to the plates 14by a lock nut 21.

As an alternative construction or manner of supporting the evaporatorelement in a refrigerator compartment and as shown in Fig. 6, the upperinner face of the refrigerator box may be provided with a U-shapedmember or astrap22constructed with an aperture 23 to receive directlythe upper endof the tie bolt 10, said parts being secured together byanut ora similar threaded fastening 24. A still further modification isshown in Fig. 5, where in place of the extended plate 14 as shown inFig. 4, a short plate section 25 can be used, said plate section 25being provided with an aperture 26 corresponding to the aperture 17 inthe construction as shown in Fig. 4. It is of course to be understoodthat the modifications as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 apply to all fourcorners of the evaporator element.

Referring to Fig. 3 secured to the lbottom unit 1 by spot welding or thelike is a sheet metal U-shaped bracket 27 for supporting the thermostatimmediately adjacent the evaporator element which not only provides anovel support for this apparatus forming a necessary part of 'arefrigerating system, but places and maintains said thermostat in properposition to accurately control the desired temperature in therefrigerating comypartment.

As shown (see Fig. 1) the plates. 14 are secured to theupper ends of thetie rods 10 by nuts or the like 15 and 16, and the uppermost unit 1 isclamped in position by nuts 13, the upper ends of said bolts 10 beingprovided with threads to permit this construction but obviously saidconstruction could be modified by using sleeves similar to sleeves 11between the plates 14 and the upper unit 1, thus eliminating thenecessity of so long a threaded portion at the upper ends of the rods 10and also eliminating the nuts 13 and 16. Conversely the rods l() couldbe threaded throughout their. entire length and nuts such as 13, 15 and16, used for spacing and securing the units 1 in assembled position, andthereby doing away with the use of the interposed sleeves 11.

What I claim is:

1. An expander element for refrigerating v machines, comprising a seriesof substantially iiat plate like heat exchange units provided withpassageways, superimposed one upon the other, conduits connecting thepassageways of the respective units and means independent of saidconduits for rigidly clamping 'the said units together in spacedrelation. 2. An expander element for refrigerating machines, comprisinga series of substantially flat plate like heat exchange units, providedwithl passageways, superimposed one upon the other, conduits connectingthe passageways of the respective units and a common means, independentof said conduits for rigidly clamping said units together in spacedrelation. l

3. An expander element for refrigerating machines, comprising a seriesof substantially fiat plate like heat exchange units, provided withassageways, superimposed one upon the ot er, conduits connecting thepassageways of the respective units and means, independent of saidconduits for rigidly clamping said units together in spaced relation,said clamping means also providing a means for suspending the element ina refrigerating compartment.

4. An expander element for re-rigerating machines, comprising a seriesof substantially flat plate like heat exchange units, provided withpassageways, superimposed one upon the other, conduits connecting thepassageways of the respective units, tie-rods passing through, saidsuperimposed units independent of said conduits, means carried by saidrods and positioned between the superlmpose corners of said unitsto.maintain the units in spaced relation and means for clamping all of saidparts together, said clamping means also providing a means forsuspending the element in a refrigerating compartment.

5. An expander element for refrigerating machines, comprising a seriesof substantially flat plate like heat exchangeunits, provided withassageways superimposed one upon the ot er, conduits connecting thepassageways of the respective units, tie rods (passim through saidsuperimposed units in epen ent of said conduits, means carried by saidrods and positioned between the superimposed corners of said units tomaintain the units in spaced relation, means for clamping all of saidparts together and means associated with the upper ends of said tie rodsfor suspending the element within a refrigerator compartment.

6. An expander element for refrigerating machines, comprising a seriesof substantially iat square plate like heat exchange units, providedwith passageways, superimposed one upon the other, conduits connectingthe passageways of the respective units, tie rods passing through thecorners of said superimposed units independent of said conduits, sleevesections carried by said rods and positioned between vthe superimposedcorners of said units to maintain the units in spaced relation and nutsor the like threaded on said Y rods for clamping all" of said partstogether.

7. An expander element for refrigerating machines, comprising a seriesof substantially flat plate like heat exchange units superimposed oneupon the other, tie rods passing` through the corners of saidsuperimposed units, sleeve sections carried by said rods and positionedbetween the superimposed corners of said units to maintain the units inspaced relationsand supporting elements carried by the upper ends ofsaid rods for suspending the element within a refrigerator compartment.

In testimony. whereof I aiiix my signature. ,A

GEORGE w.

